Matthew DeCarlo
It’s no secret that compost stinks. Decomposing food scraps tend to do that. But that doesn’t mean you have to subject yourself to the smell. Sepura Home has announced a new compost system that installs under your sink and makes your garbage disposal look like an antique.
Said to be the only sustainable food waste disposing device available, the Sepura promises to store your food scraps for up to four weeks without smacking you in the face with bad smells every time you open your kitchen cabinets. After hooking the device up to the drainpipe of your kitchen sink, it will process anything you can fit through the drain, from banana peels to bones. Even paper towels.
Your food scraps are sent to the Sepura’s separator, where solids are separated from liquids and stored into that odor-free collection bin we mentioned. This happens at the push of a button and it only takes a few seconds according to Sepura’s product page.
When active, the system runs at a soft murmur—quite the contrast with garbage disposals. As the solids build up, a series of four LEDs light up to show you just how full the collection bin is. It’s worth noting that since you’ll probably be emptying the Sepura into a compost pile, it’ll likely have to be an insulated compost bin because meat will be making it into the mix—assuming you eat meat.
The Sepura has other tricks up its sleeve, too. It comes with a stick-free surface and a patented method of cleaning itself as you use it, so you shouldn’t ever have to get your hands dirty. And if you want, you can use a compost-compatible bag in the collection bin. There’s also a detection system in place in case a large non-food item enters the drain. They show a kitchen utensil as an example but we wonder what exactly qualifies as “large.” For even greater peace of mind, the system has flood detection and Sepura Home can let you know if your house is about to sink.
Pretty fancy, yeah? It’ll cost you, of course—$340. There, I said it. This smart compost system costs $340, which isn’t the easiest sell. But if you like the idea of composting your food scraps, hate the idea of having to actually deal with it, and have $340 to throw down the drain (ahem) then the Sepura is probably worth looking at. Pre-orders are open in the US and Canada and units are expected to start shipping in Fall 2020.
